The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 20, 2015
Filed:
Sep. 26, 2014
Hideo Muroi, Kanagawa, JP;
Hideo Muroi, Kanagawa, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, an image forming unit, a density sensor, a gradation characteristic data generator, and a gradation corrector. The density sensor includes a low-pass filter to remove a high-frequency component of an output of the image density sensor. The gradation characteristic data generator forms a gradation correction pattern on the image carrier. The gradation correction pattern is a continuous gradation pattern including first and second patterns. The gradation characteristic data generator continuously detects image density of the continuous gradation pattern and background areas adjacent to the continuous gradation pattern to generate the gradation characteristic data. The gradation characteristic data generator forms a compensation pattern on the image carrier next to and continuous with a leading end of the first pattern in an image carrier rotational direction, to compensate for a response delay of the output of the density sensor due to the low-pass filter.